Method and apparatus for coating tubular articles



J. E. SOCKE June 28, 1960 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COATING TUBULAR ARTICLES Filed March 10. 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l June 28, 1960 J. E. socKE 2,943,001

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COA'IING TUBULAR ARTICLES Filed March 10, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M01/MA June 28, 1960 J. E. socKE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COTING TUBULAR ARTICLES Filed arch 10, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 f, i f f, I f.

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nited States Patent METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COATING TUBULAR ARTICLES John E. Socke, Pelham Manor, N.Y., assigner to American Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey l Filed Mar. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 720,315

The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for coating interior surfaces of can bodies and the like and has particular reference to producing and utilizing a substantially at 360 degree spray pattern to effect the coating operation.

The coating of the interior surfaces of can bodies and other hollow articles such as pipes etc., usually is effected by way of a spraying operation. In some cases the article to be sprayed is rotated while a spray nozzle is telescopically introduced into the article. This requires mechanism for rotating the article as well as mechanism for operating the nozzle. In such methods of spraying it is dillicult to control the quantity of coating material applied to the article surface and this results in diiculty in obtaining a uniform thickness of iilm evenly distributed An object of the instant invention is to effect a uniform coating of the entire interior sur-face of a can body or like article.

Another object is to produce a substantially flat 360 degree radial spray jet pattern to effect such a uniform c oating of the interior of a can body or likeV article.`

Another object is to produce such a spray jet pattern.

in a manner which permits of mixing in the pattern, the various material components so as to control the final composition of the coating iilm and to control the degreeof atomizing action and the resultant distribution and thickness of the film.

. Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure -1 is an end view of an apparatus embodying the instant invention and utilizedfor carrying out the steps of the method portion of the invention, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the broken line 2-2 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a perspective schematic view illustrating certain of the parts in exploded relation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken through a can body and showing how a substantially dat 360 degree radial spray jet pattern is produced and utilized to coat the interior surface of the body;

Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive are schematic views of a can body and spray nozzles, and illustrating the various stages of forming the spray jet pattern and coating the body; and

Fig. l0 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 10-10 Y iilm B applied uniformly over the entire surface by a? substantially iiat 360 degree radial spray jet pattern C.

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In accordance with the method steps of the instant invention the 360 degree radial spray vjet pattern C is created by providing a pair of spray jets D discharged from a pair of movable nozzles .E, F and directing the jets toward each other in closely spaced and axially aligned relation to effect impingement or collision of the jets and a resulting outward deection at right angles to the axes of the jets. This outward deflection resultsin a substantially fiat 3'60 degree spray pattern C.

Upon formation of the spray pattern C, relative longitudinal telescopic movement is effected between the can body and the spray pattern, along the axis of the can body to project the coating material components in the spray pattern against the interior surface of the can body to produce the uniform, evenly distributed protective lm B.

As illustrated in Figs. 5 to 9, inclusive, the two oppositely disposed nozzles E, F normally are located adjacent the open ends of the can body A to be coated and one of the noz'zles, for example nozzle E, is projected through the body along its axis to a position closely adjacent and in axial alignment with the other nozzle, for example the nozzle F, as shown in Fig. 6. With the two nozzles in this position, the coating material components to be sprayed onto the can body, are discharged` from the nozzles with the result that the two issuing jets D collide and produce the spray pattern C as mentioned above.

While the two nozzles E, F remain in this relative,

spray pattern forming position, they move togethenb'ack through the-can body along its axis as shown in Fig. 7, or as an alternate method the can body is moved forward over the nozzles while the latter remain stationary, to project the coating material progressively and evenly over the entire inner surface of the body. When the nozzles reach the opposite end of the body as shown in Fig. 8, the coating material components are cut olf and the spray pattern C is thus dissipated. The spray nozzle F then moves back through the body t9 its original position, leaving the nozzle E at the opposite end of the body, in its original position, thus terminating the coating operation and leaving the body with its interior surface entirely and uniformly coated.

The coating material components hereinbefore mentioned preferably are the coatingmaterial itself and a propellant such as compressed air or other fluid pressure.`

medium. Both components, the material and the propellant may be `discharged from each of the nozzles E, F to combine to produce the spray pattern C, or if desired, the coating material may be discharged from one nozzle and the propellant from the other nozzle so that theyA mix in the spray pattern C. In another combination two' vIn such a'method of coating the interior surfaces of' can bodies, the collision of the two jets D of coating ma terial components to produce the spray pattern C, has the effect of finely atomizing the coating materials and thereby facilitates the application of thematerial to the bodies in a uniform thickness film which is evenly distributed over the entire surface.

lIn the apparatus portion of the invention Figs. l, 2 and 3 illustrate one form of machine for carrying out the above explained Amethod steps. In this apparatus the can bodies A to be interiorly coated preferably roll downon' inclined chute 21 (Fig. 2) in processional order and areV picked off individually by pockets 22 in a rotatable turret 23 mounted on a horizontal shaft 2'4 carried in a pairfofVl Vspaced bearings 25 of a'main frame 26 (see also Fig. '1`).f

The turret 23, through its shaft 24 is rotated intermita tently, in a clockwise directionas viewed in Fig. 2, to

Yan interrupted thread indexing cam 3.1 mounted on a continuously rotating shaft 32 journaled in bearingsY 33. in the mm'n frame Y26. The shaft is rotated in any suitable. rhjlniner. iii/ithV each rotation of .the cam shaft 32,4 the indexing cam31 engages one of a plurality of rollersf3'5. mounted on vthe turret 23. in spaced relation around the'. turret, and. thereby rotates theV turret 23 through one step of' rotation 'inthe conventional manner. r. At the coating station X, the two spray nozzles E, F, hereinbefore mentioned, are located on opposite sides of the pathV of travel of the can bodies into and out of the station,v The nozzles preferably are. disposed in a horizontal position for horizontal movement and are axially'Y aligned with each other and with .the axis of a can body Ay brought to. rest by the turret 23 at the coating station. ,Each of the nozzles E, F areY provided with a horizontally disposed discharge orice 37 (Figs. l and 2). The nozzles are. mounted on the inner ends of opposed horizontal feed tubes 3S carried in slide bearings 39 on brackets41 projecting up. from the turret shaft bearingsr 25. The feedtubesSS. are connected byilexible coating material pipes 43 and fluid pressure pipes 44, to respective' normally closed cut-olf valves 45, 46: (see Fig. 3.) actu- 2,943,001l Y .a 1

1 with a cam 92 for the operation of the solenoid switch 48 hereinbefore mentioned.

In operation, the valve discs 61, 62 rotate continuously with the indexingcamV shaft 32. During 180 degreesy of each revolution of this shaft 32, the indexing cam 31is rotating the turret23 throughV a partial rotation which ated by a normally deenergized'electnc solenoid 47. The.

solenoid47 is energized at the proper time as will be hereinafter explained by the closing of a normally open. cam actuated electric switch 48 which connects the solenoid with a suitable source of electric current such as a generator 49. The valve 45 is Vconnected by a pipe 51 toy Y a suitable source'oi supply of the coating material, whileY the valve 46fis connected by a pipe 52 to a source of cornpressed air or other suitable iluid pressure medium.

--The outer ends of the nozzle feed tubes 38 are connected to piston rods 53, 54 (Figs. l and 3) which carryV respective pistons 55, 56Y which operate inrespective opposed uid pressure cylinders '57, 58 mounted on the brackets 41. Fluid pressure, for example compressed air, is introduced intoA the. cylinders to reciprocate the pistons and hence the nozzles E, F in the proper direction and in timed relation to bring about the formation of the spray jet pattern C and to apply the coating material to the interior suriace of the can body as hereinbefore explained.I

, Introduction of compressed air into the cylinders 57, 58 is controlled by a rotary valve comprising a pair of rotatableV dises 61, 62 (Figs. 2 and 3) secured to and ro-` tating with the indexing cam shaft 32 and a set of threeA cooperating stationary valve blocks 63, 64, 65 which surround the shaft 32 but which are held stationary by a bolt 66x-secured' to the. adjacent bearing bracket 33 (see Fig. 2). The valve 4disc 61 is interposed between the stationary valve blocks 63, 64, While the disc 62 is interposed between the blocks `64, 65 as. shown in Fig. 2. t The stationary valve block 63 carries two pipesV 71, 72v

which-lead toand connect with the outer and the inner ends respectively of the cylinder '57 which controls reciprocation of nozzle'E. .ln a similar. manner the. stationary valve block 65 carries two pipes 73, 74 which'lead to and connect with the out-er and inner ends respectively of the cylinder 58' which controls reciprocation Aof nozzle F. The, end-s of these pipes 7-1, 72, 73, 74 in the blocks 63, 65 are connected, in sequence and at the proper time, with asou'rce of; fluid .pressure connected by a pipe 75 (iFig.A 21) to. a recess 76 in the middle stationary: valve blockA 64 ('tFig.' 3). For this` purpose, the valve disc 61 -is formed with slot ports 77, 7S which are registerable with the Y ately followed by two actions as follows.

advances a can body A into the coating station X. During the remaining 180` degree revolution of the shaft 32, the turret remains stationary to hold the can at the coating station. At the beginning of this remaining 180 degree 'revolution of the shaft 32, the slot port 77 in the valve disc 61 registers with the port'79. in valve block 64V the vent port 83 in disc 61 and thus to the outside atmosphere.

While the nozzle E is momentarily held in this positionl adjacent the nozzle F, the cam 92 on the valve disc 62 engages and .closes the electricv switch 48. This energizes the solenoid 47 and through its energization opens thecoating material valve. 45 and its cooperating air valve 46, to, eect discharge of the spray jets D from both vnoz- Zles E, F and to thereby create the substantially at 360? degree radial spray pattern C hereinbefore explained.- The spray pattern thus formed is free from obstruction by any tubes or other parts passing through the spray.

Immediately following creation of the spray pattern C, slot port 77 in valve disc 61 movesrout of register with port 79 in block 64 and pipe 71 in block 63 to cut off the air to the outer end of cylinder 57. This is immediof cylinder 577, and slot port in valve disc 62 moves into register with port 87 in block 64 and pipe 73 in blocltf65 to feed. air into. the outer end of cylinder 58. Thus the au'v entering the opposite ends of the two cylinders 57, 584 simultaneously, shifts the two nozzles E, F back through the can body A while maintaining them in their relative closely spaced relation to preserve the spray pattern C as shown in Fig. 7. This back travel of the nozzles E, Fy effects the interior coating of the can body as hereinbefore in Fig. 8, the camA 92 on the valve disc 62 rides off the:

switch 48 and thereby permits it toV open.v This deenergizes the solenoid 47 and thus effects closing of the coating material valve 45 and its air valve 46 `and thereby cuts oif and dissipates the spray pattern C. This is 'im-v mediately followed by a return of the nozzle F to itsv original position as shown in Fig. 9. For this purpose` the slot ports 78, 85 in their `respective valve discs 61, 62

move out of register with the ports Si), 37 in thev block 64 and the pipes 72, 7-3 in the blocks 63, 65 to cut off the air from the, cylinders 57, 58. This is immediately followedbytheslot port 86 in valve disc 62 rotating into register with the. port 88 in the, blockl 64' yand the pipe74 in the block 65; Thispermits air to ow into the innerl Slot port 78' in valve disc y61 moves into register with port 80 in block. 64 and pipe 72 in block 63 to feed air into the inner endI end of the cylinder 58 and thereby returns the nozzle F to its original position. During this return stroke, the outer end of the cylinder 58 is vented through the pipe 73 and the vent port 89 in the valve disc 62. This completes the cycle of the coating operation.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts of the apparatus mentioned herein and in the steps and their order of accomplishment of the method described herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing `all of its material advantages, the apparatus and method hereinbeiore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. The method of -interiorly coating can bodies and the like, comprising positioning an open-ended tubular can body between a pair of axially aligned and spaced spray nozzles disposed concentric to said body, effecting relative movement between said `body and one of said nozzles to dispose the latter in close axially spaced relation to the other nozzle, effecting relative movement between said body and both of said nozzles in the reverse direction while discharging sprays of fluid coating material under pressure from the nozzles for impingement of said sprays 'against one another and resulting outward detiection of the sprays in a substantially tlat 360 radial spray pattern disposed at right angles to the nozzle axes, whereby to completely interiorly coat the can body during relative movement of said body and nozzles.

2. The method of interiorly coating can bodies and the like, comprising positioning an open-ended tubular can body between a pair of axially aligned and spaced spray nozzles disposed concentric to said body, moving one of said nozzles through said body into close axially spaced relation with the other nozzle, simultaneously moving both of said closely spaced nozzles in the reverse direction through said body while discharging sprays of iluid coating material under pressure from the nozzles for impingement of said sprays against one another and consequent resulting outward detiection of the sprays in a substantially iiat 360 radial spray pattern disposed at right angles to the nozzle axes, whereby to completely interiorly coat the can body during reverse unitary movement of said nozzles through said body, and finally axially withdrawing one of said nozzles from said body for discharge of the coated can body from between the nozzles and positioning an uncoated can body between said nozzles for a similar coating operation thereon.

3. Apparatus for interiorly coating can bodies and the like, comprising an intermittently rotatable turret having peripheral pockets for receiving and advancing the cans to a coating station, a pair of horizontal axially aligned and spaced spray nozzles at said station for receiving an open-ended tubular can body therebetween, uid pressure means for electing relative axial reciprocation between said nozzles independently and in unison and said can body while the latter is at rest at said station to vary the degree of axial spacing of the nozzles, and means for discharging uid coating material under pressure in opposed spray jets from said nozzles simultaneously while the nozzles are disposed in close axially spaced relation to effect impingement of said jets against one another and outward deection thereof in a substantially vtiat 360 radial spray pattern disposed at right angl to the axes of said nozzles for projection of said pattern against the interior surface of the can body to completely coat the same during unitary axial movement of said nozzles relative thereto. t

4. Apparatus for interiorly coating can bodies and the like, comprising an intermittently rotatable turret having peripheral pockets for receiving and advancing the cans to a. coating station, a pair of horizontal axially aligned and spaced spray nozzles at said station for receiving an open-ended tubular can body therebetween, Itiuid pressuremeans for axially reciprocating said nozzles independently and in unison through said can body while the latter is at rest at said station, and means for discharging uid coating material under pressure in opposed spray jets `from said nozzles simultaneously w-hile the nozzles are moving in close axially spaced relation .through said can body to eiect impingement of said jets against one another and resulting outward deection thereof in a substantially iiat 360 radial spray pattern disposed at right angles to the axes of said nozzle for projection of said pattern against the interior surface of the can body .to completely coat the same during said unitary travel of said nozzles in one direction relative thereto.

5. Apparatus for interiorly coating can bodies and the like, comprising an intermittently rotatable turret having peripheral poel-:ets for receiving and advancing the cans to a coating station, a pair of horizontal axially aligned and spaced spray nozzles at said station for receiving an open-ended .tubular can body therebetween, fluid pressure means for electing relative axial reciprocation between said nozzles independently and in unison and said can body `while the latter is at rest at said station to vary the degree of `axial spacing of the nozzles, means -for discharging uid coating material under pressure in opposed spray jets from said nozzles simultaneously while the nozzles are disposed in close .axially spaced relation to eiect impingement of said jets against one another and outward deilec-tion thereof in a substantially Iiat 360 radial spray pattern disposed at right angles to the axes of said nozzles for projection .of said pattern against the interior surface of the can body to completely coat the same during unitary axial movement of said nozzles relative thereto, means for intermittently rotating said turret, and valve means controlled by said turret rotating means for actuating said `coating spray jets and said uid pressure means in timed relation to the intermittent rotation of said turret.

6. An apparatus for coating interior surfaces of can bodies and the like, comprising a `turret having spaced pockets for receiving and supporting can bodies to be coated, means for rotating said turret intermittently to advance said supported can bodies individually into a coating station, a pair of oppositely disposed and movable spray nozzles located at said coating station one on each side of said turret and in axial alignment with the axis of a can body at said station, uid pressure means connected with each of said nozzles -for shifting said nozzles along the axis of a can body at said coating station, rotary valve means connected to said uid pressure means and to a source of iiuid pressure and having ports registerable in sequence to shift one of said nozzles through said can body and into closely adjacent axially aligned relation vto the other of said nozzles, then to shift both of said so-aligned nozzles simultaneously back through said can body for a coating operation on said body, and .then .to return said other nozzle alone back through said -body to its original location, means for actuating said valve means i-n ytime with the rotation of said turret, and means connected `to said nozzles and operable in time with said valve means for discharging a spray jet of coating components from each of said nozzles simultaneously in a direction ytoward each other while in closely .adjacent relation to etect impingement and outward deection in a substantially at 360 degree radial spray pattern disposed at n'ght angles to the axes of said jets for projection against the interior surface of said can .body during travel of said nozzles in unison.

Hodgson ...,..v......... Aug. 31, 1909 Houghton Oct. 29, 1946 

1. THE METHOD OF INTERIORLY COATING CAN BODIES AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING POSITIONING AN OPEN-ENDED TUBULAR CAN BODY BETWEEN A PAIR OF AXIALLY ALIGNED AND SPACED SPRAY NOZZLES DISPOSED CONCENTRIC TO SAID BODY, EFFECTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID BODY AND ONE OF SAID NOZZLES TO DISPOSE THE LATTER IN CLOSE AXIALLY SPACED RELATION TO THE OTHER NOZZLE, EFFECTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID BODY AND BOTH OF SAID NOZZLES IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION WHILE DISCHARGING SPRAYS OF FLUID COATING MATERIAL UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE NOZZLES FOR IMPINGEMENT OF SAID SPRAYS AGAINST ONE ANOTHER AND RESULTING OUTWARDDEFLECTION OF THE SPRAYS IN A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT 360* RADIAL SPRAY PATTERN DISPOSED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE NOZZLE AXES, WHEREBY TO COMPLETELY INTERIORLY COAT THE CAN BODY DURING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID BODY AND NOZZLES. 